There's an important reason why Prince William didn't turn to watch Kate Middleton walk down the aisle

Prince William Kate Middleton
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Prince and Princess of Wales celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary earlier this year - and looking back, what a wedding it was, from protocol breaks to changing traditions. 

There was the fact that Pippa Middleton and Prince Harry were elected Maid of Honour and Best Man – two roles that are not supposed to exist in royal weddings, not to mention the double kiss that the newlyweds performed for the crowds from the Buckingham Palace balcony and of course their choosing to spend their wedding night at Buckingham Palace rather than jetting off for their honeymoon immediately.

Even Kate Middleton’s hair broke protocol, with the now Princess of Wales breaking a 350-year-old tradition when choosing to wear her hair down.

There was one part of the day that stuck strictly to tradition however as Kate Middleton walked down the aisle at Westminster Abbey.

As Kate made her four minute walk down the aisle, Prince William did not turn to watch his bride approach as many modern grooms do, but instead kept his back to her, as per tradition that the groom should be the last person to see the bride.

Prince Harry however did sneak a peek, with royal expert Marcia Moody confirming that the Duke of Sussex said to his brother, "Right, she is here now. Well, she looks beautiful, I can tell you that."

Well, that’s lovely.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.